Tailoring Entrepreneurial Education: Demand-Driven Insights for an Entrepreneurial Online Mentoring Program

The 2023 European Innovation Scoreboard reveals that there is an innovation asymmetry between different European Union (EU) regions, which is leading to an innovation gap. In particular, southern and eastern EU countries showcase a lower level of innovation compared to their northern and western counterparts. To tackle this issue, the ENTRPRENEDU project, funded by the European Union, endeavors to bridge the innovation and educational divide across EU regions through a scalable "Venture Building Program". At its core lies the precisely crafted ENTREPRENEDU mentoring program, which aims to nurture 12, through hackathons selected, teams from the emerging to moderate-innovation countries Italy, Greece, and Bulgaria. This paper presents the methodological framework, execution, and results of the demand analysis underpinning the development of the ENTRPRENEDU online mentoring program. Employing a qualitative research design for the demand analysis, semi-structured interviews were conducted to delve into the nuanced needs and experiences of the participating teams. These hour-long sessions followed a pre-defined guideline and aimed to determine the specific entrepreneurial needs of the participating teams. For the analysis of interview data, a thematic approach was utilized revealing clusters of predominant demands among the teams, serving as the cornerstone for deriving six overarching mentoring modules. These modules were tailored to address the identified demands and laid the foundation for the program's curriculum development. Each mentoring module was crafted to align with the specific learning objectives of the teams, ensuring targeted guidance tailored to their unique journey. This paper highlights the symbiotic relationship between the identified demands of the teams and the structured mentoring curriculum, underscoring its significance in providing tailored support conducive to their success. The findings not only contribute to the academic discourse on mentoring program development but also hold practical implications for policymakers, educators, and entrepreneurs striving to foster innovation and entrepreneurship in their respective contexts.